ASUS Radeon R9-290X DirectCU II OC tested and reviewed

Today we test and review that gorgeous ASUS Radeon R9 290X DirectCU II OC edition. The card can Boost towards 1050 MHz and is clocked to 5400 MHz (effective) in the GDDR5 memory. The DirectCU II card will be equipped with a fully custom PCB design featuring the Digi+ VRM with Super Alloy Power technology and high quality C-Caps and MOSFETs. The card is powered through 8-Pin + 6-Pin power configuration and obviously runs at factory overclocked specifications.

ASUS Radeon R9-280X DirectCU II TOP review - 10/10/2013 08:23 AM
In this review we take a peek at the Radeon R9-280X from ASUS, they plastered the GPU on a custom PCB, tweaked it and then applied their DirectCUII cooling technology. As such the product should be in...

#4727108 Posted on: 12/18/2013 04:47 PM
I think I finally know why they chose such fan design, I already saw someone asking once "if its so good, why only 1 on the left side?"
Its so it dumps most of the heat on the left outside the case, while that on the right keeps minimal on the right inside the case - thermal images.

I also checked 780TI Windforce 3x thermal images and that one clearly heats more on the lower right side and dumps that inside the case.

Its like my TF3, it dumps heat on both sides.. So this DirectCuii actually looks more promising.

Anarion
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#4727112 Posted on: 12/18/2013 04:54 PM
DC is probably better cooler.

Loophole35
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#4727116 Posted on: 12/18/2013 05:00 PM

1175MHz is kinda good, though, consider how the chips scale on OC. I've seen 290X(s) @ 1200 nip at the heels of 780Ti(s) @ 1300 in a title that generally favored Nvidia slightly I think.

Yet my 780 at 1256/6608 is nipping at the heels of this card and considering vanilla 290x's are going for $630 right now and you can get my 780 for $480 right now which card would you choose?

EDIT: taking reference prices into consideration this card will probably be $650-670 at launch.

#4727164 Posted on: 12/18/2013 05:49 PM
Its time to show overclocked thermal imaging temps measurements, with custom fan set to ~ 65%

Full load at stock fan, with this card or any other its kinda not good enough, we need to know how does the vrm's/fan stand the oc/volts being applied.

I don't believe that OC is stable, 6,100mhz memory? 1,100+mhz overclock? I just don't believe it. Need more testing IMO

The memory is rated at 6Ghz, not the same chips as AMD used afaik.

yasamoka
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#4727165 Posted on: 12/18/2013 05:50 PM
Yet my 780 at 1256/6608 is nipping at the heels of this card and considering vanilla 290x's are going for $630 right now and you can get my 780 for $480 right now which card would you choose?

EDIT: taking reference prices into consideration this card will probably be $650-670 at launch.
The Nvidia cards currently, for sure. The prices are sky high now for the AMD cards, but when they come down again it should be interesting.

Anarion
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#4727166 Posted on: 12/18/2013 05:52 PM

I don't believe that OC is stable, 6,100mhz memory? 1,100+mhz overclock? I just don't believe it. Need more testing IMO

Why not? With luck I don't see why not. The ram on my card for example can handle 1,4 GHz overclock (though I keep it at 7,3GHz to be safe).

Taint3dBulge
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#4727168 Posted on: 12/18/2013 05:52 PM
At work and dont have time to read the whole article yet.. Cannot wait to, I did read the first page and didnt see a release date.. That still up in the air? Or is there one given.. I need to know when to start hittn F5 on newegg.

Go over to OC.net and look at the 290/290x club. Peeps on stock coolers can get 1200core and 6000mem, and higher then that with aftermarket coolers... So its fine and actually, i thought these numbers were alittle low for a custom.. Will find much higher oc's when the voltages get cranked higher and new bio's get put in.

Its time to show overclocked thermal imaging temps measurements, with custom fan set to ~ 65%

Full load at stock fan, with this card or any other its kinda not good enough, we need to know how does the vrm's/fan stand the oc/volts being applied.

The memory is rated at 6Ghz, not the same chips as AMD used afaik.

Yes what are teh VRM temps that would be nice to know

Why not? With luck I don't see why not. The ram on my card for example can handle 1,4 GHz overclock (though I keep it at 7,3GHz to be safe).

#4727190 Posted on: 12/18/2013 06:23 PM
^^Zero chance for that here in Finland. Cheapest reference model is 399€ and these custom ones are likely going to be really close to custom GTX 780's. Also I don't believe the custom ones are unlockable.

Those are some nice numbers.. You on water i take it?
On air. Did you accidentally read that I hit 1,4 GHz with the GPU? Just a bit over 1,2 GHz for the core, pretty typical (although I haven't tested with maximum voltage).

Don't hold your breath with the unlocking. The % seems fairly low, also then if you were expecting to have top raw power and you purchased a r9 290 that isn't unlockable, you are stuck without the top of the line performance. If thats what you were going for.

Right now, reference r9 290x are going for $620, while a gtx 780 ti is $699 with aftermarket cooling and pcb. gtx 780ti is faster as well.

Now on the 290. Yeap, thats indeed a steal. I saw a couple returned ones going for 350-360euros. They were reference tho but oh boy, was I tempted for a CF FOR 700euros!! You couldn't beat that price/perf!

Not likely to get that bump in performance from drivers again. That is a pipe dream. There will be improvements yes but not the 25-35% jump they got with the 12.11's.

Still neither(290x or 780Ti) have enough performance over the 780 or 290 non-x to justify the huge price premium.

In the EU a custom 290X and 780Ti are similarly priced.

So I would take the 780Ti any day since they are priced the same.

Now on the 290. Yeap, thats indeed a steal. I saw a couple returned ones going for 350-360euros. They were reference tho but oh boy, was I tempted for a CF FOR 700euros!! You couldn't beat that price/perf!

Probably returned because if random black screening would tread lightly on open box R9's.